Cyprus’s National Guard is preparing to request wheeled armoured personnel carriers from US stockpiles, following visits by a Cypriot delegation to inspect available American equipment and return visits by US officials to Cyprus, according to Philenews.
The General Staff and Ministry of Defence are placing speed and rapid reaction at the top of their operational priorities, with future equipment required to be agile, relatively light and capable of delivering personnel to their destination in the shortest possible time.
The preference for wheeled over tracked vehicles is driven by the terrain and conditions specific to Cyprus. Hard ground and flat areas predominate across the island, and local weather does not produce the extensive muddy or boggy conditions that would give tracked vehicles a significant advantage. Wheeled armoured vehicles also offer higher speed, greater survivability and lower maintenance costs. Tracked vehicles are not being abandoned but the National Guard is directing its attention primarily towards the wheeled category. The Ukraine battlefield has reinforced this thinking: the loss of a wheel during operations does not necessarily put a vehicle out of action, and repairs can be completed far more quickly than replacing a damaged track.
This approach is consistent with a broader trend among Western states, most of which are now choosing wheeled rather than tracked vehicles for personnel transport. The Greek army made a comparable move in previous years, securing approximately 1,200 to 1,250 M1117 Guardian armoured security vehicles from US stockpiles on a gradual delivery basis. Philenews notes this does not mean the National Guard will receive the same type or the same numbers.
Cyprus participates in three US defence procurement programmes: Foreign Military Sales, Excess Defense Articles and Title 10 Security Assistance. Nicosia is initially targeting systems that can be obtained free of charge or at very low cost. The EDA cooperation is currently at its second stage, covering the implementation of acquisitions for systems Cyprus has already expressed interest in.
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